Confronting Violence Health Care Workplace Violence

Most people think of hospitals as places for healing. But the threat of violence -- which can take many forms -- can be a daily reality for nurses and other health care workers, creating a compelling need to properly address the issue, says Kate McPhaul, PhD, MPH, RN, assistant professor and program director for the University of Maryland Baltimore of Nursing’s Community/Public Health Nursing master’s specialty.

The issue gained national attention in September 2010 when a doctor at nearby Johns Hopkins Hospital was shot by the distraught son of a surgical patient. The shooter went on to kill both his mother and himself. The Hopkins doctor recovered.

“Health care workers face a unique situation in that violence is coming from our patients and visitors due to clinical reasons such as mental illness or head injury,” says McPhaul. “Workplace violence also has an effect on job satisfaction, patient care quality, and nurse turnover.”

With this in mind, McPhaul and other school faculty members are advising in the development of an evidence-based online training and educational resource that will be hosted on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) website.

“This program will set the standard on how health care workers should be trained to prevent violence, and it’s exciting that School of Nursing faculty members are playing such a major role,” said McPhaul.

McPhaul says that the workplace violence issues that nurses and other health care workers face go beyond physical risks. “Nurses also care about verbal abuse and hostility from patients, visitors, and even colleagues: incivility and bullying.” The most common violent situations are those in which staff members are verbally assaulted by frustrated, disgruntled, or unhappy patients and visitors, she says.

“Hospitalizations create high stress for families, not to mention pain from surgery, medication interactions, and other factors that would make someone agitated or hostile,” she said. “Less frequent but more dangerous are the confrontations with those who have a history of violence, which may or may not be known by the nurse, and who are under the influence or mentally unstable. Violent patients have physically assaulted staff resulting in severe bruises and contusions, and broken bones.”

McPhaul says that the online training content under development will include interactive and video elements using actors, to help learners better recognize and react to verbal violence.

“Many staff feel that verbal hostility is ‘part of the job’ and that nothing can be done about it,” she said. “We hope that once staff recognize verbal abuse, hostility, and verbal assaults and threats, they will be more likely to report it and less likely to tolerate it.”

The training program will offer methods for dealing with violent situations, including verbal de-escalation, patient behavioral contracts, earlier use of security, controlled

access to the building or ward, calling for assistance, and using an alarm system. While the program will initially focus on nurses, it will be as inclusive as possible to address the needs of all health care workers, McPhaul says.

The advantage of an online program backed by a federal agency (NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), McPhaul says, is that it can

be equally accessible to all health care facilities. Hospitals needn’t front the cost of developing the program themselves, and can rest assured that the federally-backed program will incorporate mandated safety standards.

McPhaul says that the program will aid existing hospital staff, new employees, and nursing students, and that nurses may be able to earn continuing education requirements.

“Any employer or nursing organization with an interest in patient and staff safety will benefit,” she says. “This training is especially critical for nurses in the ER and mental health wards, for their safety. In the end, safety is safety -- whether it’s for staff, patients, or visitors. All should have equal priority.”

After the training program is complete, there will be a piloting and evaluation process by nurses, hospitals, and professional organizations, among others, says McPhaul. She aims for the program to be online by early 2012.

 

Featured

  • Cloud Adoption Gives Way to Hybrid Deployments

    Cloud adoption is growing at an astonishing rate, with Gartner forecasting that worldwide public cloud end-user spending will approach $600 billion by the end of this year—an increase of more than 21% over 2022. McKinsey believes that number could eclipse $1 trillion by the end of the decade, further underscoring the industry’s exponential growth. Read Now

  • AI on the Edge

    Discussions about the merits (or misgivings) around AI (artificial intelligence) are everywhere. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find an article or product literature without mention of it in our industry. If you’re not using AI by now in some capacity, congratulations may be in order since most people are using it in some form daily even without realizing it. Read Now

  • Securing the Future

    In an increasingly turbulent world, chief security officers (CSOs) are facing a multitude of challenges that threaten the stability of businesses worldwide. Read Now

    • Guard Services
  • Security Entrances Move to Center Stage

    Most organizations want to show a friendly face to the public. In today’s world, however, the need to keep people safe and secure has become a prime directive when designing and building facilities of all kinds. Fortunately, there is no need to construct a fortress-like entry that provides that high level of security. Today’s secured entry solutions make it possible to create a welcoming, attractive look and feel at the entry without compromising security. It is for this reason that security entrances have moved to the mainstream. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3